Daily Devotion

 With Pastor Ancel Presnell

“CALLED OUT”

The doctrine of the rapture is a key Christian belief. Although “rapture” does not appear in English Bibles, the phrase “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4 comes from the Greek word harpazo, meaning to snatch away quickly. The term “rapture” derives from the Latin word rapio, which carries the same meaning.

Paul’s message of encouragement and hope to the young Thessalonian believers referenced a future event that will occur. This event involves both those who are dead in Christ and those who are alive during the event. This event is none other than the rapture of the church. This is such a glorious hope! Let’s examine.

For those who believe in the Gospel, you know, the death, burial, and resurrection, of Jesus; It is us who will experience the rapture! Those who have died in Christ will be called up and caught up out of their graves, and at the time of that event, those who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with the saints to meet the Lord in the air!

The sequence of this event is described as follows: The Lord will descend, accompanied by a pronounced shout and the trumpet call of the archangel. Subsequently, those who have died in Christ will rise first, followed by believers who are still alive; they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. On that day, cemeteries worldwide will be focal points, as the sea and earth surrender those who have died in Christ. This is considered a blessed hope, and we are encouraged to comfort one another with the truth conveyed in this passage.

1 Thessalonians 4:14—18 “¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”